This disclosure relates to test and measurement, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for performing testing and displaying test results from testing.
When making test measurements on computer networks, for example, in setup and testing of installations with large numbers of network cables, testing must be performed to ensure that the various network cabling is fully functional, whether copper wire based network cable, fiber optic network cable, or wireless networks. Large installations can comprise hundreds or more cables needing testing. Accordingly, tracking the testing process becomes important, to allow efficient testing and use of the technician's time.
A test instrument may include the ability to save test results, for documentation and proving of the network installation. However, it has been noted that there can be a psychological barrier to saving results from failed tests, as technicians would prefer to have all their test results show passing. So, a technician may decline to save negative results, preferring instead to come back later to test again, perhaps after making some corrective adjustment to the network cables. Such action can reduce efficiency in the test operation, and can also result in missing items that might need to be corrected.
The operation of network test instruments can require a level of technical expertise, with multiple options and test suites being available, such that technicians with lesser experience may be confused as to what test or measurement to perform in a particular situation. It is desirable to have technicians with less experience performing the bulk of testing, saving the more experienced technicians' time for working on particularly difficult issues or for correcting network cabling that does not pass initial testing.
FIGS. 2-7 illustrate prior art display screens, wherein FIGS. 2 and 3 represent starting screens where testing is initiated. FIGS. 4 and 5 represent 2 different types of summary of test information screens, FIG. 2 representing a failed test and FIG. 3 representing a passed test. FIGS. 6 and 7 represent screens for viewing test results.
In FIG. 8, a prior art representation of a tested cable is shown. While individual cable segments are shown, viewing test results from any particular individual cable segment requires moving to a different display screen, scrolling through results until the particular segment of interest is located.